Method of forming concrete piles



Nov. 7, 1950 T. c. BRUNS 2,528,999

METHOD OF FORMING CONCRETE PILES Filed Jan. 9, 1947 Fla. 2.

Patented Nov. 7, 1950 METHOD OF FORMING CONCRETE rrLE's' 7 Thomas C.Bruns, New Orleans, La. Application 'January 9, 1947, SerialNo.f72'0,980

8 Claims. (01. 61-57) This invention relates to a method of constructingand sinking piles, and more particularly concrete piles for supportingbuilding structures.

It is the more orless common practiceto sink preformed concrete piles ofvarious kinds in certain sections of this country, for supporting build-1 ing structures thereon. The preforming of the piles is disadvantageous'for a number of reasons. Man piles are formed of creosoted timber,

but in many cases they are formed of precastconcrete, particularlywhenof substantial length and it is quite difficult to handle such pilesin transit to the building site and to set them up in position. v It isobvious that relatively long piles, for example piles in excess of thirtfeet inlength, are quite difiicult to handle and are shipped in ahorizontal position. Because of the weight of a pile of this characterandthe shocks t which it is apt to be subjected in handling, it isnecessary to use more steel in reinforcing the pile than is required inthe use to which it is to be put. Moreover, heavy equipment is requiredin the handling of such heavy pile structures. An important object ofthe present inventionis to" provide a novel method of constructingandsinking a concrete pile wherein the pile is formed at the exact spotwhere it is to be used and then directly driven into the ground.

A further object is to provide a novel method of making a concrete pilewherein the pile is.

formed in the vertical position in which it is to step of the methodwherein a, ground. collar and reinforcing elements are placedin positionif they are to be used, I [Figures is a si""lar viewshowing the form forthe. upper end of the pile in position with the form 'shown in. sectionand the poured pilein elevation therein. I

Figure 4 isa similar view showing the form for the upper pile end, theboot and ground collar in elevation,

Figure 5 is a 'similarview showing the finished pile in elevation withthe forms removed ready for the pile to be driven,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the pile driven to itsfinished position, and

Figure 7 is a plan the pile.

Referring to Figure 1, the numeral Ill -desig-.- natesthe-earth-into'which a pile is to be placed to actas. a support for abuilding structure. A

may be dug or may be formedby' driving a suitableplunger'in the ground.It is preferred'that f f therhole I I be formed by driving asuitable'sheet rounded, the general shapeshown having been a of the pileis formed below the surface of the ground thus minimizing the amount ofform work and minimizing the height of the pile above the ground whenthe driving operation is to be performed. Y

A further objectfis to provide such a novel method of the characterreferred-to wherein the precasting of the pile is completely eliminated,thus permitting all of the raw materials to be transported in bulk tothe. building site and then mixed an'd'poured to form the individualpiles.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of.

the following description.

In the drawing I have shown the preferred steps in the carrying out of.vthe method. In this I, v

showing q V Figure 1 is a sectional view showing thesinking of a boot inthe surface of the ground cohstituting the firststep to theimethod'z g'1 t Figure 21s a similar View showing} the second steel boot [2 into theground, the boot 'remain- 7 ing in the ground to act as a form for thelower end of the pile in a manner'to be described. The'boot l2 tapers todecrease the size toward its lower end and has its lower extremity foundinost suitable for the lowerend of the pile to facilitate its beingdriven into'tl'ie ground.

. 'Asthe second step in the method of forming downwardlyintothe boot i2as shown in Figu're 2.. The form of the reinforcing ma be varied asdesired, or the reinforcing may be omitted entirely. If desired, aground collar I5 of gen erally tubular form may be employed. This c01-lar isoi such, size that the lower endthereof j contacts with .the innersurface of the boot l2 when approximately one-half its length extendsinto the upper endof the boot.

,;.1As' the third step in the method, a form indicated as a wholeby'thenumeral l8 isarranged With its lower end contacting thefupper endof the. boot I2; as shown in Figure 3.. The form I8 preferably tapersslightly to decrease in width toofithe form substantially fitsaround'tthe portion of the ground collar l6 which extends above thesur'facefiof the ground; The ground collar is view-of the .upper form.for

preferably employed for properly centering the form 16 and forpreventing the escape of concrete as it is poured into the form.

The form i8 is preferably made of complementary sections l9 (Figure 4and 7) and these sections may be hinged together at one side as at 20.The opposite edges of the sections may be provided with relatively.overlapping lugs 2| receiving wedges 22 for fixing the sections [9 inclosed position.

Figure 3 of the drawing actually shows the two successive steps whereinform I8 is placed in position and the concrete poured to form thefinished pile, such pile being indicated as a whole by the numeral 25.If reinforcing elements H are used, such elements will be embedded inthe finished pile 25, as will be apparent. The concrete is pouredpreferably up to the level of the upper end of the form It and thefinished pile is thus formed, ready to be driven when proper- 1y set andhardened. v I

Form [8 of each pile thus made is left in position at least until thepile therein has thoroughly set, and it is preferably left in positionuntil after the concrete has thoroughlyhardened, the form serving toprevent .undue evaporation of moisture if left in position until thepile has hardened; When the pile is thoroughly hardened, the form I8 isremoved, thus leaving the finished pile 25 as shown in Figure 5, thelower end of'the pile being seated in the boot I 2 which has acted as aform for shaping the lower end of the pile. As the final stepin themethod, a suitable pile driver is employed for driving the piledownwardly intothe ground to the proper extent, for example as indicatedin Figure 6. It will be apparent that the building erection may bestarted after all; of the necessary piles have'been formed and driveninto position.

.The forms [8 obviously can be used repeat.- edly and are sufiicientlylight to be readily handledand transported from site to site. Therefore,these forms need be constructed but once and their repeated use by beingremovable from the finished piles materially reduces the costof thelatter. The boots l2 remain a permanent part of the driven pile, butsince they are formed of relatively thin sheet steel, they do notgreatly add' to the'cost of each pile.

. As previously stated, it is the customary prac tice to" use relativelyheavy reinforcing M to protect precast piles against damage intransportation. This reinforcing as customarily em-.- ployed' is heavierand accordingly more expen-- sive thanis required by the pile when inuse, and must be used in precast piles even though no reinforcing isnecessary in the finished pile. present method accordingly permits thecomplete elimination of reinforcing where it is unnecessary in thefunctioning of the pile as such, and it permits the reduction to aminimum of the amount of reinforcing used where such reinforcing isrequired. In other words, the present invention eliminates the necessityfor having to use any reinforcing, or heavier reinforcing, solely forthe purpose of protecting a pile in transit, thus materially-reducingthe cost of the finished pile. The use of the invention requires noheavy or special equipment, an ordinary crane being sufficient for useboth in filling the boot I2 and form 18 with concrete and in driving thepile into final position. The invention, moreover, completely eliminatesthe" shipping difficulties involved in the handling of every precastpile, the raw material. being The assembled as such directly at the siteand being mixed at the point required. Moreover, the pile is initiallyformed in vertical position and at the exact spot where it is to bedriven into the ground.

I claim:

1. The method of constructing and sinking a concrete pile whichcomprises preforming an opening in the ground at the point where thepile is to be driven, arranging a form above such opening in alignmenttherewith-pouring concrete into such form to fill the opening in theground and the form, and driving the finished pile downwardly into theground after it has hardened.

2. The method of constructing and sinking a concrete pile whichcomprises preforming a hole in the ground, arranging a ground collar inthe upper end of such opening with its upper end projecting above thesurface of the ground, arranging a form over and in alignment with saidhole and surrounding the upper end of said ground collar, pouringconcrete into the upper end of. said form to fill the hole in theground, said ground collar and said form, and driving the resultant?pile into the ground after it has hardened. v

3. The method of constructing and sinking a concrete pile whichcomprises preforming an opening in the ground, arranging metalreinforcing of a length generally corresponding to the length of thepile to be formed with the lower end of the reinforcing in saidpreformed opening, surrounding the upperportion oi the reinforcing witha form in alignment with the preformed ground opening, pouring concreteinto the form and into the ground opening, removing the form after theconcrete has set, and driving the resultant pile into the ground afterit has hardened.

4. The method of constructing and sinking a concrete pile whichcomprises driving into the ground a preformed boot having a closed lowerend, arranging a formv in alignment with said boot and in contact withthe upper end thereof, pouring concrete into the form and into the boot,removing the form from the resultant pile after the latter has set, anddriving the pile into the ground after it has hardened.

5. The method of constructing and sinking a concrete pile whichcomprises driving into the ground a preformed boot of sheet materialhaving a closed lower end, arranging a ground collar, in the upper endof said boot with its upper end projecting above the surface-of theground, placing a form above and in alignment with the boot andsurrounding theupper portion of said ground collar, pouring concrete tofill the boot, ground collar and form, removing the form after theconcrete has set, and driving the resultant pile into the ground afterit has hardened.

6. The method of constructing and sinking a pile comprising driving intothe ground a preformed boot of sheet material having'a closed lowerdriving end, arranging metal reinforcing of the approximate heightof'the finished pile with the lower end of the reinforcing in the bootand resting on the lower end thereof, placing a form about thereinforcing above the ground line, pouring concrete to substantiallyfill the boot and form, removing the form after the concrete has set,and driving the resultant pile into the ground after the pile hashardened.

'7. The method of constructing and sinking a concrete pile whichcomprises driving a preformed boot of sheetmaterial having a closed ofthe boot is substantially even with thesur 7 face of the surroundingground, placing a ground collar with its lower end projecting downwardlyinto the boot and with its upper end projecting above the groundsurface, inserting metal reinforcing of the approximate length of thefinished pile with the lower end of the reinforcing supported on thebottom of the boot, arranging a form in alignment with the boot andsurrounding the upper end of the ground collar, pouring concrete intothe upper end of the form to substantially fill the boot, ground collarand form, removing the form after the concrete has set, and driving theresultant pile into the ground after it has hardened.

8. In the method of constructing and sinking a concrete pile wherein thelower portion of the V pile is arranged in the ground, the steps which rthe ground after it has 6 comprise arranging above the ground a formhaving its lower end aligned with the portion of the pile in the ground,pouring concrete into the form to bond and become substantially unitarywith the pile portion in the ground, removing the form fromthe portionof the pile above the ground, and driving the'pile downwardly intohardened.

THOMAS C. BRUNS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

